Kmhmu classifiers in the context of NPs are involved in discourse level functions which include signalling the specificity, identifiability, and thematic salience
of referents.
3.5.1 Specificity
Specificity relates to individuation, whereby a sort noun which is a concept in a generic sense, is further defined as being bounded and embodied in particular
examples in the real world Foley 1997. In terms of discourse functions, individuation is used to signal that a specific referent as opposed to a generic
referent is being identified.
This is exemplified in 50. In Man_eater.003, the idea that there were tigers attacking people is first introduced with the NP rɑˈwɑɑj tigers. This is a generic
use of tiger. In Man_eater.004, an event is related in which a specific animal is referred to by the NP rɑˈwɑɑj mooj too a tiger, or a particular tiger. The
classifier phrase mooj too one animal signals that this is a specific tiger.
50Man_eater.003 bɑt
turn ɡii
this_one tɑŋ
then ɡɑj
but_then kəət
be_born ʔɑh
have rɑˈwɑɑj
tiger ɡɑɑj
DIR pok
bite ɡɑɑj
DIR mɑh
eat
kɔɔn kɨmˈmuʔ Kmhmu people
lootɕ totally
tɑŋ then
məh be
sip ten
məh be
sɑɑw twenty
ɡon Clf_people
Then at this time, it came about that there were tigers that came and attacked, came and ate Kmhmu people; in total it was ten or twenty people.
Man_eater.004 tɑˈwɑɑŋ
time_interval moŋ
Clf_months sɑɑm
three bɑn
Clf_thousands kɑw
nine rɔɔj
Clf_hundreds sii
four
sip Clf_tens
pɛɛt eight
ʔɑh have
rɑˈwɑɑj tiger
mooj one
too Clf_animals
ɡɑɑj DIR
pok bite
mɑh eat
jɑʔ Ms
dɛɛŋ Daeng
In the third month of nineteen forty-eight, there was a tiger that came and attacked and ate Ms Daeng.
Specificity may also be signalled using a proper noun or a possessor.
48
3.5.2 Identifiability
When a new referent is introduced into Kmhmu discourse, a classifier phrase with the numeral one is used to signal that this referent is unidentifiable, a
brand new referent. In cognitive terms, this tells the hearer not to search for an existing mental representation but to create a new one. An example is shown in
51, where the orphan is introduced for the first time with an NP which includes the classifier phrase mooj ɡon one person.
51Orphan.002 lɛʔ
and ʔɑh
have kɔɔnˈrook
orphan mooj
one ɡon
Clf_people
And there was an orphan.
3.5.3 Thematic salience